A magnitude-7.4 earthquake struck off the coast of Davao Oriental on Friday morning followed by an equally powerful 6.9 magnitude aftershock, killing at least three people.

The second jolt in the evening triggered a fresh tsunami alert just hours after an earlier warning, authorities said.

The tremor struck at 7:12 p.m., prompting the Philippine seismology office to warn of “life-threatening wave heights” and urge coastal residents to “immediately evacuate to higher grounds or move farther inland.”

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. vowed a quicker and more efficient response compared to the aftermath of the 6.9-magnitude quake in Cebu, as he directed government agencies to prepare assistance for the affected citizens.

On 30 September, a powerful tremor shook Cebu, marking the strongest ever recorded in the northern part of the province, according to the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs).

This quake caused widespread damage, particularly in Bogo City, Daanbantayan, and surrounding areas.

It resulted in at least 75 deaths, over 1,271 injuries, and displaced thousands of residents who spent nights outdoors due to aftershocks, over 10,000 recorded by 9 October, with 34 strongly felt.

The government’s response was described as moderately efficient overall, demonstrating strengths in rapid mobilization and high-level coordination, but it faced logistical hurdles that delayed aid to remote areas.

Tsunami warning

In Davao, a tsunami warning was issued but was lifted after three hours, with minor sea level disturbances reported in nearby areas like Camotes Island.

“We are working around the clock to ensure that help reaches everyone who needs it. Let us continue to look out for one another and pray for the safety of all our countrymen,” the President said.

According to the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Field Office 11, more than 100,000 family food packs have been pre-positioned in the region.

This is supported by 5,000 ready-to-eat food boxes and a total of 30,019 non-food items, including family kits, hygiene kits, kitchen kits, and sleeping kits. Tents, laminated sacks, and tarpaulin rolls are included in the DSWD aid.

3 deaths verified

As of press time, three deaths were confirmed as reports trickled in from areas that were cut off from communications.

One person was killed when a wall collapsed in Mati city, the largest population hub near the quake’s epicenter, while a local man suffered a fatal heart attack, officials said.

Another person was killed in Davao City, a city government statement said without giving details.

A local official in Tagum City — northwest of Manay, the town nearest the epicenter off the coast — recounted how a government event at the city hall was thrown into chaos as “the people panicked, they screamed and ran.”

Videos that circulated on social media showed city workers scrambling down a metal Christmas tree they were decorating when the quake struck.

Witnesses said they saw students and workers pouring out of schools, office buildings, and shopping malls.

Video clips also showed people holding on to flower boxes or to each other while crouching low to avoid falling as the open ground rocked violently.

So far, the tremors appeared to have caused minor and scattered damage, according to witnesses.

The upheaval rocked the waters off the coast of Manay at 9:43 a.m, followed by three minor shockwaves across Mindanao, prompting Phivolcs to issue a tsunami alert for multiple coastal areas.

Dianne Lacorda, a Davao Oriental police officer, said power and communication lines were severed, making it difficult for authorities to assess the damage in some areas.

The provincial government said on Facebook that it had suspended classes “until further notice” and had sent non-essential public workers home.

A teacher in the town of Compostela near Manay, said she was in the middle of an online meeting when the violent shaking started.

“It was very slow at first, then it got stronger. That was the longest time of my life. We weren’t able to walk out of the building immediately because the shaking was so strong,” she said.

“The ceilings of some offices fell, but luckily no one was injured.” She added that some of the school’s approximately 1,000 students suffered panic attacks and difficulty in breathing.

Small cracks appeared in the walls of her family’s home. “I was surprised by the strength” of the quake, she said, adding that members of her family ran out of the house.

Around the same time as the Philippine quake, the US Geological Survey reported a shallow 6.2-magnitude tremor just over 140 kilometers southeast of Manus Island in Papua New Guinea.

The latest Philippine quake struck 11 days after a 6.9-magnitude tremor in Cebu.

Earthquakes are a near daily occurrence in the Philippines, which is situated on the Pacific Ring of Fire, an arc of intense seismic activity stretching from Japan through Southeast Asia and across the Pacific basin.

An 8.0-magnitude quake off Mindanao island’s southwest coast in 1976 unleashed a tsunami that left 8,000 people dead or missing in the Philippines’ deadliest single natural disaster.

Taiwan pledges aid

Taiwan has pledged $200,000 or approximately P11 million in humanitarian assistance for quake-hit Cebu.

According to the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office (TECO) in Manila, this is the first tranche of assistance to be given by Taiwan.

“Taiwan’s thoughts and prayers are with those affected by the 6.9-magnitude earthquake in Cebu province,” it said.

“The donation aims to help affected families rebuild their homes and accelerate reconstruction, with additional relief materials to follow,” it added.

The financial assistance will be coursed through the Manila Economic and Cultural Office (MECO) to the Cebu provincial government.

DoH sends emergency teams

The Department of Health (DoH) has deployed three emergency teams to Davao Oriental.

Health Secretary Ted Herbosa said the agency immediately activated the Philippine Emergency Medical Assistance Team (DoH-PEMAT).

The three teams are DoH-PEMAT 44 Eastern Visayas Medical Center, DoH-PEMAT 45 Dr. Jose N. Rodriguez Memorial Hospital and Sanitarium, and DoH-PEMAT 46 Jose B. Lingad Memorial General Hospital.

As an emergency medical responder, the DoH-PEMAT team can function as an outpatient department or set up temporary hospital tents during disasters.

“They are a 15 to 20-man self-sustaining team in case they would need additional field hospitals,” Herbosa said.

The DoH-PEMAT was deployed in Turkey after the 7.8-magnitude tremor there in February and in Myanmar after the 7.7-magnitude earthquake in March.

The DoH also sent medical teams to Bogo City in Cebu following a call for medical volunteers by the province after the 6.9-magnitude quake struck the city on 30 September.

Ports under watch

Acting Transportation Secretary Giovanni Lopez directed the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) and Philippine Ports Authority (PPA) to continue monitoring and observing airport and seaport facilities and structures, especially in the event of aftershocks.

The acting transport chief said the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) has instructed its deployable response group to assist in search and rescue missions, especially of residents affected by the earthquake.

Commuters and motorists, meanwhile, were assisted by personnel from the Land Transportation Office (LTO) and Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) in Davao to ensure road and commuter safety.

Free Love Bus rides were provided to stranded commuters.

“Our LTO enforcers have also been deployed, along with the LTFRB, in case we need to provide additional vehicles for stranded commuters. In Davao, the Love Buses have been authorized to help our commuters by diverting from their original routes to provide transportation for those affected by the earthquake,” Lopez said.

Lopez also ordered the postponement of the Siargao International Surfing Cup 2025, which is scheduled from 23 to 31 October.

Airports stay open

All airports under the jurisdiction of the CAAPmremain fully operational following the earthquake that struck Davao on Friday.

The CAAP said initial reports showed no major damage to airport facilities. However, there were minor cracks seen in the logistics building of Dipolog Airport.

Further structural assessments to ensure the safety of personnel and passengers are being done by engineering teams.

The CAAP assured passengers that airport operations continue as usual and that it is coordinating with airlines, local authorities, and disaster response agencies to monitor developments.

Power outages were widespread in coastal communities, and emergency response teams were mobilized to distribute aid and monitor for aftershocks.

The National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP) reported a total blackout in Davao del Norte.

At the same time, emergency power interruptions were experienced in parts of Davao City, particularly Maa and Ecoland, and in several towns of Davao Oriental such as Banaybanay, Lupon, San Isidro, Mati City, Governor Generoso, Tarragona, and Manay. An assessment of the power lines in Davao de Oro and Davao del Sur remains ongoing.

Authorities said the tremor affected 66 municipalities and one city, covering 1,162 barangays.

Reports of displaced families, power disruption, and structural damage are still being verified.

All public and private schools across the Davao Region have suspended classes, while coastal residents in Davao Oriental were advised to move to higher ground as a precaution against potential sea level disturbances.

As of press time, assessment and relief coordination continue, with responders working to restore essential services and ensure public safety amid possible aftershocks.